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February 20, 2012What should we consider when choosing a doctor blade?

The following has been taken from an article by Bill Warner
of Allison Systems which I feel summarizes much of Tom Allison Jr’s feelings
when asked the same question.

With the doctor blade
being a critical part of the printing process, if you purchase the best
quality and most appropriate blade you can for your application, your doctor
blade related problems will be reduced or eliminated. Work with your doctor
blade supplier to determine the best choice of material and profile for your
doctor blades. Your blade supplier most likely has had experience with the same
printing requirements, issues, and problems that you have and will have
targeted guidance in the choice of blades for your application.

Regardless of the type
of doctor blades you use, material quality is of utmost importance. Protect
your anilox rolls and print jobs by making sure basic metal, composite, and plastic
blade stock is proven in service and is purchased from a quality source and
traceable by the supplier. Beyond the choice of doctor
blades, your doctor blade supplier will also likely be able to help with doctor
blade usage and safety training, as well as diagnostic worn blade analysis.

About the Author: Bill
Warner is a design engineer with Allison Systems Corp. He has 23 years of
experience with doctor blades and custom retrofit doctor blade systems for
flexographic and other printing processes.

Recently, we lost yet another leading Flexographic
innovator: Tom Allison Jr. Building on his father’s invention of the first truly
effective doctor blade edge finishing machine, whichended over a century of hand-shaped and finished gravure
doctor blades, Tom Allison Jr. continued to build on his father’s success and
dramatically enhanced his company’s reputation with many doctor blade
innovations. To say he will be missed by his many friends and
associates really does not in any way reflect the absolute respect that
everyone had for Tom and his dedication to the flexographic community. Never
one to mince words, but always willing to provide advice and support to any
that asked, Tom’s knowledge of the Flexographic process and in particular the
heart of the press, “the inking system”, was second to none. His expertise has
played a large part in helping our industry achieve the consistency and quality
that allows flexography to still enjoy significant growth on a
global basis. He became a mentor to many like myself but never demanded anything,
not even a thank you; so as he cannot say no need to thank him now: Thank you
from the bottom of my heart Tom for your friendship and constant support, you
will be sadly missed!